KGHM-Ajax expects to be held to a higher standard than a northern copper mine that was turned down by the province this week.

Norm Thompson, spokesman for the company developing a 60,000 tonne-per-day copper mine immediately south of Kamloops, said the Morrison mine decision has no direct bearing on Ajax.

But he said the Polish company behind the mine proposal here expects it will be held to a higher standard that the proposed Morrison Mine near Babine Lake in north central B.C.

The province turned down Morrison largely based on fisheries concerns.

Ajax is in the midst of environmental reviews and studies under the harmonized federal-provincial comprehensive environmental assessment.

“We understand we need to have higher standards than other mines because we’re on the edge of a city,” Thompson said. “We know our process has to be more rigorous.”